A fourth generation (4G) wireless network is an Internet protocol (IP) wireless access network in which different advanced multimedia application services (e.g., voice over IP (VoIP) content, video content, etc.) are delivered over IP. As wireless network data rates improve using 4G technologies, more and more bandwidth-intensive applications and devices are being developed. For example, some mobile devices, such as smart mobile devices like iPhone and Android devices, may receive high bit rates of 10-50 megabits per second (Mbps) or more, which is significantly more data than a typical cellular phone. In a multiple access network, these different devices and multimedia application services compete for the same air interface and transport network resources.
Quality of Service (QoS) refers to a measure of network performance. QoS issues may arise due to network problems, such as network congestion, latency, or jitter. Other QoS issues may arise due to faults or miscommunications with hardware (e.g., server devices, customer equipment, etc.). QoS problems can be exasperated when one or more subscribers utilize a disproportionately high amount of network bandwidth during times of otherwise high network congestion, which in turn can leave other subscribers with a disproportionately low amount of available network resources.